Comments on: Obama ‘Guardedly Optimistic’ About Economic Recoveryhttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/
The Politics and Government blog of The New York TimesTue, 09 Feb 2010 20:43:05 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.1http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/section/NytSectionHeader.gifNYThttp://www.nytimes.com
By: hmfwichttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1518905
Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:19:18 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1518905Guardedly Optimistic? How about- hoping the economy recovers despite the ineptness he has shown in leading it?

The insanely humorous part is that there are so many americans too naive to see through his charade. It is amazing that so many people, including many of the mesmerized posters on this site, are silly, crazy, or so drunk with power, that they can’t see the damage for the crash.

We can only hope that congress continues to listen to America and questions his every move. With some perserverance and a whole lot of luck, we can last long enough to remove him before he has done irreparable and irreversible harm.

]]>By: Steve Bolgerhttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1518299
Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:08:23 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1518299Yes, it isn’t their money, it is corporate money they get to play with and skim off. No access to corporate money means no power and no influence in America.

You’re now experiencing the effect of 30 years of venal people allocating America’s economic resources through an interlocked directorship extending across all large corporate and charitable foundation boards.

]]>By: Steve Bolgerhttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1517685
Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:38:04 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1517685$100 million bonuses for gaming the petroleum futures market with Citicorp’s money weren’t such a problem when they rose into the 95% marginal tax rate bracket.
]]>By: Steve Bolgerhttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1517227
Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:56:52 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1517227Leaving the responsibility to title cars to 50 different states is just another example of silliness and wasteful duplication in the US that is gamed by criminals.
]]>By: Nicholashttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1517163
Sat, 01 Aug 2009 07:33:08 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1517163Yes, all is well at Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, JP Morgan et al thanks to the fleecing of American taxpayers originated by Bush and aided and abetted by Obama. At the same time 15 million have no jobs and at least that many more are under-employed or working in jobs far below their skills and experience.

The more things don’t change, the more they remain the same.

]]>By: slhttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1517097
Sat, 01 Aug 2009 03:53:21 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1517097I am not optimistic at all.The malls are failing all over the World,Americans are starving,And these politicians are rolling in the stuff that is just essentially play money.Wake you you elitist idiots the ship is going down and the orchestra is playing!!!Get out of your trance,do some homework and wake up to these idiot politicians that are running us off a cliff!!!
]]>By: Don Duvalhttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1517075
Sat, 01 Aug 2009 03:06:44 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1517075To “harry” at post number 22:

The “local chop shop”?

Are you clueless?

Chop shops are called chop shops because they chop up stolen vehicles into parts that can be re-sold.

With the goal of losing the VIN that taints the thing when it’s all in one piece–because they DON’T have the title.

Switching the VIN–and stolen plates onto John Doe’s car does nothing to improve the situation–since John Doe’s name would not be on the title attached to the VIN.

Which means neither John Doe nor the dealer would qualify for the rebate, there’s now a stolen vehicle and John Doe’s car sitting on the lot….which since the VIN number from the stolen car has been cleverly switched to John’s car, now appears to also be stolen.

A word of advice….don’t give up your day job for a life of crime.

]]>By: LarryGhttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1517043
Sat, 01 Aug 2009 01:47:22 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1517043Guardedly optimistic? The dumbo still doesn’t realize that governemnt intervention and increasing taxes will kill the economy.
On second thought, I think the leftist A hole understands it perfectly.
What a disgrace this snake oil salesman and his band of egghead economic advisors are.
Disgusting and contemptible.
]]>By: Don Duvalhttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1517039
Sat, 01 Aug 2009 01:34:32 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1517039To Nick at post number 6:

A few points.

The TARP program was something Team Bush dreamed up and shove through Congress–last fall.

The misinformation about the stimulus plan is legion–largely driven by Republican rhetoric run amok that basically centered on the idea that the entire bill was just a bunch of pork barrel projects (hence the right wing jeer: “porkulus.”

You say it should have been targeted at individuals and small businesses?

In no small measure–it was.

It provided a total of $288 BILLION in tax cuts–$237 billion of which were tax cuts to individuals and families.

Of the $147 billion that could be described as targeted at healthcare–over half ($86.6 billion to be precise) was sent to help states pay for health insurance (Medicaid) for low-income individuals and families.

Another $24.7 billion went to provide a 65% subsidy of COBRA coverage for people who lost their jobs.

In education–$44.5 billion went to local school systems to help them avoid layoffs of individuals.

And $15.6 billion went towards increasing Pell Grant’s–which help individuals pay for college.

Another $82 billion went out in the form of aid to low-income workers, the unemployed and retirees (all individuals–including $40 billion to extend and increase unemployment benefits, $19.9 billionFood Stamps–which help individuals eat and groceries stores stay open and $14.2 billion in the form of a one-time $250 payments to Social Security recipients, people on Supplemental Security Income, and veterans receiving disability and pensions.

]]>By: harryhttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1517005
Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:43:23 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1517005Great. A government program that literally relies on the honesty and integrity of car salesmen.

Here’s how the system can be gamed:

1. John Doe comes in to the dealership, buys a new car, and gets $4,500 from the taxpayers for his “clunker”

2. John Doe leaves the showroom, and the car dealer calls the local chop-shop

3. Chop-shop owner brings over a real clunker and the VINs and plates, etc. are swapped with those of John Doe’s “clunker”

4. Chop-shop owner pays $2,500 for John Doe’s “clunker” and resells it for $3,500

5. Car salesmen calls the car-crusher who looks the other way when he notices the paperwork doesn’t match — and that the “clunker” really is a clunker. He gets paid $1,000 for this head-turning

6. Driving home the next week, John Doe stops at a red light and spots his “clunker’ in the next lane — he’d recognize that ding anywhere.

7. Everybody’s happy when a usable car escapes the landfill, especially the teenager who bought it for $3,500

]]>By: phahttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1516971
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:55:09 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1516971How about a cash for taking public transportation program Mr. Obama? What kind of government support can I get for not owning a car at all?
]]>By: lvhhttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1516923
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:56:45 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1516923now we need a clunker cazr?
]]>By: Jack Cohenhttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1516921
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:55:42 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1516921It took about three nano seconds for the dead enders to declare that this economic recovery is not President Obama’s doing. We now have evidence that the numbers will look much better by the end of this year. It will be Obama that gets the credit.
]]>By: Ben Daggetthttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1516909
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:49:45 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1516909“our proven capitalist system” (!) – Augustine25 – you mean the capitalist system that collapsed every twenty years in the 19th Century, or the one that was totally overhauled in the 1930’s by FDR? Or do you refer to the “proven beyond a shadow of a doubt capitalist system” that came within hours of a “China-syndrome” meltdown last Fall? Capitalism is based on the assumption that man will never be satisfied. That inevitably leads to madness. Capitalism will never be “proven” – we’re lucky if it’s remains stable over a fiscal year without someone having to take a wrench to it. I guess it’ll never become ideological, and I guess that’s a good thing, but it aint no monument to sanity, or sanctity.
]]>By: Tietjenshttp://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/comment-page-1/#comment-1516899
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:30:07 +0000http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/obama-guardedly-optimistic-about-economic-recovery/#comment-1516899Augustine 25 — It must be the non-performing assets on the books of banks that are no longer marked-to-market that turned things around. I’m sure the commercial lending side of things is just as good, Bail-Out Boy. Or weren’t you going to acknowledge the sweetheart accounting tricks and socialization of losses that have underwritten our re-stabilization?

And you might have to convince your partner in inept comments, TR, that the economy is bouncing back on its own — with help from the stimulus or otherwise — he thinks we’re still headed of a cliff.

PS — I sure wish the capital gains tax was at 20%. My profits are mounting by the day.